This past summer Matt Perez ran a project to catalog and analyze the fish population of Sunset Lake in Bridgewater, NJ.  Matt is with Boy Scout Troop 154, Pluckemin, NJ, Dave Robbins Scoutmaster.  This was Matt’s Eagle Project.  There are many steps on the trail to Eagle Scout and the Eagle Project is the last step.  Matt did not do it himself but planed it out in detail, got approval to proceed, assembled the project team and led it.  The Scouts that helped him earn service hours that help in their rank advancement.  Further they learn from Matt how to pull together an Eagle Project.  An Eagle Project has to benefit the greater community and the benefit has to continue after it is completed.

Matt organized 11 collection events which involved 24 volunteers and 185 hours.  Matt spent more than an additional 100 hours researching, analyzing and writing up the data and drawing his conclusions.  Seven species of fish were found: bluegill sunfish, pumpkin seed sunfish, large-mouth bass, yellow perch, American eel, channel catfish and a non-native green sunfish.

Following is a series of slides covering Matt’s findings, observations and conclusions.  They include photographs of the various species of fish.  I hope you will enjoy this study. The members of the Sunset Lake Association thank Matt for his work.

RHO 12/16